My name is Dopal. I，m eleven years old and I live in Tanzania， in the heart of the African savanna. I，m a Masai. Masais are nomads who travel all over with their animals， looking for pasture. Our most wonderful and valuable possession is our herd.
I，ve never been to school. My father teaches me everything I have to know. He explains to me how to lead our herd. My own animals are in the middle of the herd. Every Masai gets a cow， a lamb， and a goat the day he，s born. Our most beautiful goat belongs to my father. Her name is Olliye. I love her， even though she，s not always easy to handle. Olliye is going to have a baby very soon. My father knows Olliye is my favorite， but he always reminds me that we must love all our animals as if they were our children. My father knows all about nature. He shows me some cheetah tracks. Our herds have lots of predators like hyenas， lions， and leopards. A Masai has to be ready to risk his life for his herd. A shepherd must always listen for different sounds and watch to make sure the animals walking behind don，t get lost.
All Masais have their own animals， even the girls. They become their dowry when they get married. The animals are also used in trade for food in the market. My people have always been shepherds. We，re not farmers. For us， the earth is sacred， and we mustn，t hurt it by planting things.
Like all boys， I dream of becoming a warrior. A warrior has to be strong and intelligent. He，s the one who defends the herd against wild beasts. He sometimes travels long distances to bring back lost animals， and he also watches over our safety. Masais go through three stages： childhood， warrior， and elder. I，ll be a warrior from thirteen to twentyfive years old， before I become an elder like my father. Then I can get married and have children.
草原上的家
我叫多培尔，十一岁了，住在坦桑尼亚热带草原的中心。我是马赛人。马赛人是赶着牧群四处寻找牧地的游牧民族。我们最宝贵的财产就是我们的牧群。
我从没上过学。我爸爸教会我所应该知道的一切。他告诉我怎样引导牧群。我自己的牲口在牧群中间。每个马赛人在出生的那天都会得到一只母牛、羊羔或山羊。我们最漂亮的一只母山羊就是我爸爸的。它叫奥莱亚。我喜欢它，虽然它有时候不太听指挥。奥莱亚很快就要当妈妈了。爸爸知道我最喜欢奥莱亚，他总是提醒我说我们要爱护所有的动物，就好像爱护自己的孩子一样。我爸爸知道自然界的一切事情。他教我看豹子留下的踪迹。我们的牧群有许多天敌，如鬣狗、狮子和美洲豹。马赛人要时刻准备着为牧群而牺牲。放牧人必须时刻留神着各种声音，并看管好跟在身后的牧群，保证没有一只丢失。
所有的马赛人都有自己的牲口，女孩也有。她们结婚时，牲口就成了她们的嫁妆。牲口还可以用来在市场上换食物。我的族人都是牧人，没有农夫。在我们眼里，土地是神圣的，不可以在上面种植东西伤害它。
和所有的男孩一样，我梦想成为一名武士。武士必须强壮而机智。他守卫牧群不受野兽的袭击。有时他会跋涉遥远的路程找回失散的牲口，他还保卫着人们的安全。马赛人一生有三个阶段：儿童时代、武士时代和成年时代。从十三岁到二十五岁这段期间，我会成为一名武士，然后成为像爸爸一样的成人。然后我就结婚生孩子。
Indians：The World，s Biggest Bookworms
Indians are the world，s biggest bookworms， reading on average 10.7 hours a week， twice as long as Americans， according to a new survey.
The NOP World Culture Score index surveyed 30，000 people in 30 countries from December 2004 to February 2005.
Analysts said selfhelp and aspirational reading could explain India，s high figures.
Time spent on reading meant fewer hours watching TV and listening to the radio - India came fourth last in both.
The NOP survey of 30，000 consumers aged over 13 saw China and the Philippines take second and third place respectively in average hours a week spent reading books， newspapers and magazines.
Britons and Americans scored about half the Indians， hours and Japanese and Koreans were even lower at 4.1 and 3.1 hours respectively.
Sriram， chief executive officer of Crosswords Bookstores， a chain of 26 book shops around India， says Indians are extremely entrepreneurial and reading “is a fundamental part of their being”.
“They place a great deal of emphasis on reading. That，s the reason why they do well in education and universities abroad，” he said.
“People educate themselves and deal with change throughout their lives. And the way to do that is to update themselves with books.”
Mr. Sriram says social changes have also made a difference： “Earlier people could turn to their parents and grandparents for advice. Now they turn to books.”
印度——全世界最爱读书的国家
最新一项调查显示，全世界最爱读书的是印度人，他们每周花在读书上的时间平均达到10.7小时，是美国人的两倍。
NOP世界文化评分指数在2004年12月至2005年2月期间对30个国家的三万人进行了调查。
分析师们指出，自助读书、热爱读书是印度人均读书时间超过别的国家的主要原因。
把时间用于读书意味着看电视和听广播的时间就相对减少，印度人用在看电视和听广播的时间都排在倒数第四位。
NOP调查的三万名消费者的平均年龄超过13岁。中国人和菲律宾人每周用在读书、读报及看杂志上的时间分列第二和第三名。
英国人和美国人的每周读报时间仅为印度人的一半，而日本和韩国则更低，分别为4.1小时和3.1小时。
在印度拥有26家图书连锁店的克劳斯沃兹书店执行总裁斯利拉姆表示，印度人非常具有开创精神，读书是他们生活中不可缺少的一部分。
他说：“他们非常注重读书。这就是为什么他们的学习都很棒，在国外大学学习时表现也很出色。”
“人们进行自我教育，应对生活中出现的变化。要做到这点就必须通过读书来充实自己。”
斯利拉姆先生表示，社会变革也起到一定影响，“以前人们会从父母或祖父母那里寻求帮助，而现在他们求助于书本。”
